Euel-kindler or pilot for grates



I c. E. HIGGINS. FUEL KINDLER 0R PILOT FOR GRATES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6,1915.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

CUR/1 E. HIGGINS, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FUEL-KINDLER OR PILOT FOR GRATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

. Application filed October 6, 1915. Serial No. 54,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Cum E. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Fuel-Kindler or Pilot for Grates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a fuel kindler or pilot for grates, stoves, furnaces, etc, and its object is to provide a device of the character set forth, which will ignite the fuel in a grate by means of gas jets.

It has for a further object. to provide a fuel kindler which will mix the air and gas and furnish the mixture to a series of jets or openings where it is adapted to be ignited and be projected onto the fuel in a grate for the purpose of igniting the same.

The invention consists of a rotatable member having at one end a mixing chamber for air and gas, with an air and gas inlet and cut-off, and a series of jets or openings, and means for rotating the rotatable member, the latter being mounted beneath the grate and carried thereby.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a grate embodying my invention, with portions of the fuel kindler and grate shown in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end of the grate. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite end showing the lower portion of the grate and the air inlet regulator with the gas inlet pipe in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line 44: of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale, showing the gas inlet nozzle, the rotatable member, gas chamber and inlet pipe, air inlet and regulating valve and mixing chamber. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 55 ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the rotatable member, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is'shown a grate basket 1, of any well known shape, having a depending plate 2 at one end provided with a straight bearing 3, a depending plate 4:11; the other end, and made somewhat wider or thicker than the depending plate 2, and having a tapering bearing 5 which is in alinement with the bearing 3.

A rotatable burner tube 5 with an air and gas mixing chamber 6 is provided with a reduced cylindrical solid extension 7, at one end, mounted in the bearing 3 of the plate 2, and a conical shaped enlarged portion 8 at the opposite end, which is mounted in the tapered bearing 5 of the plate 41-. The tapered bearing 5 is for the purpose of taking up or compensating for any wear that may occur betweenit and the conical enlarged portion 8. The mixing chamber occupies a little more than one'half the length of the said burner tube, but the exact dimensions of the chamber are not a material feature.

The enlarged portion 8 of the rotatable burner tube is provided with an inlet having an angular nozzle 9 therein, which communicates with the gas chamber 10 formed in the depending plate 4 through an opening 10 which is of reduced size, said gas chamber in turn communicating with a gas inlet or supply pipe 11 connected to any suitable source of supply.

The rotatable burner tube is further e11- larged beyond the conical portion 8 and pro vided with an annular shoulder 12 outside the depending plate 1, and has an air inlet opening 13 in its outer end, controlled by a suitable rotatable plate or valve 14, having an opening 15 and a circumferential in turned flange 16. A series of-jet openings or orifices 17 are provided in the mixing chamber of the rotatable burner tube, through which the gas is emitted, and after being ignited kindles the fuel in the grate.

The extension 7 0f the rotatable burner tube is provided beyond the plate 2 with a handle or lever 18 for rotating the burner tube, mixing chamber and jets, and which handle or lever is provided with a circular head 19 having shoulders 20 and 21, the shoulder 20, being adapted to abut against the stop pin 22 projecting from the depending plate 2, when the burner tube is turned to project the flames from the gas jets upward onto the fuel in the grate, and said stop pin 22 being adapted to abut against the shoulder 21 when the burner tube is turned to cut ofi the supply of gas and direct the jet openings down.

In order to provide a close fit between the parts of the conical'bearing, a spring 23 is introduced between the head 19 of the lever 18 and the depending plate 2.

The operation is as follows :It being understood that the shoulder 21 of the head 19 is in engagement with the stop pin 22, which is the position assumed when the gas is cut off and the kindler is not in use, the gas having entered from the inlet or supply pipe 11 into the gas chamber 10, the handle 18 is moved downwardly until the shoulder 20 abuts against the stop pin 22, which causes the opening 10 in the gas chamber to register with the angle nozzle 9, when the gas will enter the mixing chamber 6 and be mlxed with the proper quantity of air, the supply of which through the air inlet openings 13 and 15, is regulated by means of the rotatable plate or valve 14. The mixed air and gas will then flow through the several jet openings or orifices 17 and after being lighted by a match, or other suitable means, the flames therefrom will project themselves onto the fuel in the grate, and as soon as the fuel has been suliiciently ignited or started, the handle will again be moved upward until the shoulder 21 abuts against the stop pin 22, which causes the opening 10 in the gas chamber to be put out of register with the angle nozzle and shuts off the supply of gas to the mixing chamber.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement, in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is z 1. The combination with a grate, of spaced apart bearings depending from the grate, a burner tube mounted in the bearings and extending across the under side of the grate, an air valve in one end of the burner tube facing outwardly from the grate, a relatively stationary gas supply supported in one of said bearings and communicating therethrough with the burner tube, and means for turning the burner tube to control the supply of gas thereto.

2. In a device of the character set forth, a grate provided with depending plates having openings constituting bearings, a rotatable member mounted in the bearings and having a mixing chamber with jet openings, a handle for operating said member, said handle being located at one end thereof outside one of the bearings, the other end of the member being provided with a shoulder outside the other bearing, and a gas inlet and an air inlet at said end of the member.

3. In a device of the character set forth,

'a grate provided with depending plates having openings constituting bearings, the opening of one of the plates being straight and the opening of the other plate bemg tapered, a rotatable member mounted in the bearings and having a mixing chamber with jet openings, a handle for operating the said member, said handle being-located at one end thereof outside one of the bearings, a

spring interposed between the bearing and V tatable burner tube mounted in said bearings and having a conical enlargement on one end to fit the tapered bearing of the grate,

and having a lateral opening adapted to register with said inlet opening, said enlarged end of the burner tube also having an air inlet, and means for rotating said burner tube to control the gas supply thereto.

5. In a device of the character set forth, a grate, a rotatable burner tube hollow for a portion of its length and solid throughout 7 the remaining portion, the hollow portion constituting a mixing chamber and being open at the outer end, bearings depending from said grate for mounting said member therebeneath, said mixing chamber having jet openings, means provided at the solid end of the burner tube for rotating the same, an air inlet valve at the open end of the mixing chamber, and means for supplying the mixing chamber with gas in advance of said air inlet valve.

(3. In a device of the character set forth, a grate, a rotatable burner tube provided with a mixing chamber having jet openings, means for mounting said member beneath a grate, said means including a plate with a gas chamber and a bearing for the rotatable burner tube, means for rotating said burner tube to bring the jet openings into and out of communication with the grate, a nozzle mounted in the mixing chamber and opening laterally therethrough for commimication with the gas chamber of said plate, whereby the rotation of said burner tube serves to cut off and establish communication between the gas chamber and the mixing chamber through the nozzle, and a valved air inlet in communication with the mixing chamber of the rotatable burner tube. I

7. In a device of the character set forth, a grate having bearings, one of said bearings being provided with a gas chamber, and a gas supply inlet therefor, a rotatable burner tube mounted in said bearings and having a mixing chamber with jet openings, 9. gas inlet at one end of the mixing chamber adapted to communicatewith the gas chamher, and means for rotating said burner tube to control the supply of gas to said mixing chamber. i

8. In a device of the character set forth, a grate having depending bearings, one of said bearings being provided with a gas chamber and a gas supply inlet therefor, a rotatable burner tube mounted in said bearings and having a mixing chamber with jet openings, a nozzle mounted in the mixing chamber and adapted to.communicate with the gas chamber, and means for rotating said burner tube to control such communication.

9. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a rotatable burner tube formed with a mixing chamber having jet openings, means for mounting said burner tube for rotative movement, means for rotating said burner tube, said mixing chamber opening out at one end of said burner tube, a valve applied to said end of said burner tube to admit or cut ofi the supply of air to the mixing chamber, a gas supply, and an inlet nozzle provided in the mixing chamber in communication with the gas supply, said nozzle being interrupted in its communication by the rotative movement of said burner tube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OURT E. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN lWEL, E. S. KnnsoHNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

